The present invention relates generally to methods of treating diabetes. Specifically, the invention relates to methods of treating diabetes in an animal by administering a therapeutically effective amount of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). The invention further relates to food compositions including a food product having a therapeutically effective amount of a purified isomer of CLA, such as purified cis,cis-9,11-octadecadienoic acid, purified trans,cis-10,12-octadecadienoic acid or a mixture of purified cis,trans-9,11-octadecadienoic acid and trans,cis-9,11-octadecadienoic acid.
Diabetes is one of the most common metabolic diseases and affects hundreds of millions of individuals worldwide. There are two forms of diabetes mellitus: Type 1 (insulin-dependent) and Type II (non-insulin-dependent). The disease can lead to serious complications, including hyperglycemia, macroangiopathy, microangiopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy and retinopathy. Methods of treating diabetes have included administration of insulin in the case of Type I diabetes and administration of various hypoglycemic agents in the case of Type II diabetes. Many of the known hypoglycemic agents exhibit undesirable side effects and are toxic in certain cases. Accordingly, there is a need for additional methods and compositions for treating diabetes. The present invention addresses this need.